Editors' Top Finds

Whether you're after the long-praised health benefits of soaking up mineral-rich, earth-warmed water, or just something off the beaten path, the journey of hunting down one of Earth's strangest wonders makes these hot springs mentally and physically satisfying. Generally found around mountains, springs start as deep groundwater, which is warmed by the earth's heat and then travels quickly up to the earth's surface, bubbling up as a hot spring. Of the dozens across the country, I sought out some of the most picturesque and peaceful.